BrewCap: Brewers Can’t Capitalize While Phillies Do

Milwaukee Brewers struggled to get runners home on Saturday and Sunday at Wrigley Field. They had runners on base, but they could not deliver the big hit. The same happened on Monday night. Milwaukee left 14 runners on base, and even when the Brewers did hit with runners on, none of them scored. They’re 6-for-23 in the last three games, and none of those six runs have driven in a run. That’s concerning, to say the least. Philadelphia Phillies did the opposite. The last five runs were not only unanswered, but they were also with two outs in the inning. Philadelphia takes Game 1 of the series, and the Brewers lose their third straight game.

Player of the Game: Lorenzo Cain – Even though Milwaukee had a shitty game, Lorenzo Cain had himself a ballgame. Cain had five hits including two doubles driving in one run and scoring another for Milwaukee. Cain said he switched up his hand placement and it seemed to pay off with five hits. It is only the second time in his career that Cain had five hits in a game. You would think with a five-hit night, Cain would have scored more than just once, but the players behind him could not get it done.

Honorable Mention: Cesar Hernandez – This guy always seems to be a pest against the Brewers. He is one of the most underrated players in baseball in my opinion. Dude can flat out hit and did it against the Brewers last night. Hernandez went two-for-thee with three runs scored and a huge home run to tie the game for the Phillies in the sixth inning. He is not your typical five-hitter, but a dangerously hard person to get out of the lineup.

The thing I liked: Freddy Peralta got out of the first inning – A part of me paused with trepidation that Freddy Peralta would be pitching the entire game on Monday night. Since the Brewers used up their bullpen on Saturday, they did not have the ability to use an opener with Fastball Freddy. Thankfully for him, he got through the first inning unscathed. The Phillies did add a couple of hits, but Peralta worked around them. He could not make it to the fifth inning which is disappointing, but it is still nice to see him have a clean first.

The thing I didn’t like: Just get the final out – If the Brewers get the final out in the fifth and seventh, they win this game 4-2. That’s a tough pill to swallow, but it is the reality of the situation. In the fifth inning, Jeremy Jeffress gets Hernandez out, it is over. If Yasmani Grandal does not misplay a strikeout pitch from Matt Albers, the seventh is over before Philadelphia adds their three runs. Brewers did not seem focused in this game, and Craig Counsell said as much after the game.

Next up: Brewers and Phillies will have Game 2 on Tuesday night. They will finally not have a game with rain, although, it will still be a bit brisk out there. Brewers send Brandon Woodruff to the mound who has been fantastic in his last few starts. Woody has six or more strikeouts in all but one of his starts this season. He only allowed three runs total in his last three starts. Jerad Eickhoff has been equally good. Eickhoff continues to do well with a sub-two ERA through five starts.